Suggestions on travelling with a 1 yr old?

[newbiecruiser-texas]

We are planning our first cruise - it was going to be just myself and my 23 yr old son - but my daughter and son-in-law wanted to go as well and bring their gorgeous daughter who is 1 yr old. I have tried to discourage her, as I found out that she cannot be in any of the pools (which I clearly understand) and now i find out there is no babysitting in the afternoons (which i thought we could use on our snorkeling excursion).

 

has anyone travelled with a 1 yr old and what are your suggestions.

 

please don't get me wrong - I love my granddaughter - but I do not this being on a cruise at 1 yr old is the best choice...... this is my vacation so this granny is not going to be a full time babysitter......

[Carolin]

Please be very up front that you will be on vacation and not available for babysitting. Thats about the only advice I can give you. That way there is no misunderstanding about expectations.

[TRacanoUK]

I agree with the poster above. Just let her know ahead of time that you're grandma, not the babysitter! My DH and I have a philosophy that we decided to have the child, so we're responsible for him, and we would never expect anyone to watch him if we were able to.

[newbiecruiser-texas]

thanks for the advice - my daughter has now decided not to go on the cruise as it's going to cost them $200 for the baby....shame there is no military discount for them to use

 

looks like my son and i will be going alone... maybe next year for my granddaughter

[milton333]

I would not try to "discourage" your d-i-l from bringing her infant. It's perfectly understandable that she would not want to be separated from her baby and that she would view this as a family vacation.

 

What makes you believe they expect you to babysit? I'm just not understanding why you're affronted at your son and d-i-l's plans to cruise as a family or why you believe it is a personal imposition on you.

[jennygirlmt]

They aren't going bc of $200? That's actually a really good rate, especially considering she'll eat some food, causes messes that need to be cleaned, etc. That's sad, I can't imagine that amount being a deal breaker, but I guess for some people it would be.

 

We are taking my 1year old on an Alaskan cruise in July. Thankfully the trip is a gift from my inlaws and they have been clear that they will watch DD while we do any excursions we want. But they've cruised Alaska before and being with DD is their ideal vacation, so I am thrilled. In the future if you vacation together I would offer upfront what you would like to help with. "I would love to watch DD for a day while you do what you want, but I would also like to do a few things on my own as well." I hope you have fun with your son, what a good wife. There is no way I would let DH go on a trip without me and DD, especially if money was tight!

[beachchick]

They aren't going bc of $200? That's actually a really good rate, especially considering she'll eat some food, causes messes that need to be cleaned, etc. That's sad, I can't imagine that amount being a deal breaker, but I guess for some people it would be.

 

We are taking my 1year old on an Alaskan cruise in July. Thankfully the trip is a gift from my inlaws and they have been clear that they will watch DD while we do any excursions we want. But they've cruised Alaska before and being with DD is their ideal vacation, so I am thrilled. In the future if you vacation together I would offer upfront what you would like to help with. "I would love to watch DD for a day while you do what you want, but I would also like to do a few things on my own as well." I hope you have fun with your son, what a good wife. There is no way I would let DH go on a trip without me and DD, especially if money was tight!

 

I agree with your post, but I think you may have misread the OP? It reads to me like the cruise was planned for her and her adult son, and the granddaughter belongs to her daughter and son-in-law. If that's correct, then there's no issue of one spouse (and child) being left at home while the other cruises.

 

I'd go even further in my advice about being up front with the amount of babysitting expected/assumed/offered. I wouldn't say, "I would also like to do a few thing on my own..." I'd say, "This is my vacation, as well as yours. I would love to watch the baby for X amount of time so you can have couple time." Period.

 

beachchick

[jennygirlmt]

I agree with your post, but I think you may have misread the OP? It reads to me like the cruise was planned for her and her adult son, and the granddaughter belongs to her daughter and son-in-law. If that's correct, then there's no issue of one spouse (and child) being left at home while the other cruises.

 

I'd go even further in my advice about being up front with the amount of babysitting expected/assumed/offered. I wouldn't say, "I would also like to do a few thing on my own..." I'd say, "This is my vacation, as well as yours. I would love to watch the baby for X amount of time so you can have couple time." Period.

 

beachchick

 

I did misread, so strike that comment!

[B_Mc]

We loved traveling with our DS and look forward to traveling with him and my parents again soon! It is totally possible to still have a great trip with a baby in tow, especially if someone is willing to miss out on excursions to stay with the LO and is cool with hanging around the cabin while the baby sleeps.

 

That being said, it doesn't sound like this is the trip you want, so be firm, say no. Don't let them bring down your plans....unless you want to adapt your plans and enjoy the "different" vacation with a baby!

[seashell36]

now i find out there is no babysitting in the afternoons (which i thought we could use on our snorkeling excursion).

 

I'm not sure which cruise line you're going on (and I know this is a mute point now since they're not going anyway), but Carnival does offer babysitting while in port.

 

Another option that we've used when we cruised with preschoolers/toddlers - We did a snorkling excursion and DH & I took turns one of us in the dive boat and one snorkeling.

[beachchick]

I did misread, so strike that comment!

 

We all misread from time to time. A couple of mine have been truly embarrassing. Yours? An easy misread. I agree with you very much about whether one spouse should travel when money is tight. We've canceled a number of trips due to unexpected medical and home expenses...sucks, but what can you do? I have to confess though that my DH and I have done some short travels without each other ("girls" weekends, father-daughter getaway, etc.). If he had been close to his mom and if she had invited him to go on a cruise with her and her other adult children, I would have said yes, no problem.

 

I do think it's a shame that the $200 is too much for them to handle. It could be such a nice family time.

 

beachchick